Stripped down, gritty, Latino rock and salsa.

14 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Modern Rock, LATIN: Salsa



Details:
Where the Music Came From

I was born Victor René Opio in Kenedy, Texas on July fifth nineteen sixty one. I started playing music when I was five years old after my father (Domingo Opio-Opio) bought one of those Sear Roebuck combo packs of claves, bongos, and maracas. My two older brothers Domy and Richard played alto E-flat saxphone and drums. Many years later, my little sister Soria tried her hand at the violin.

My mother (Gladys Opio-Reyes) was the one with the talent. She was a Chicana from Alice, Texas that danced and sang rancheras in her Mexican Mariachi outfit. I guess some of her stage talent rubbed off on me. Her stage name was Chelito Reyes. My father (Domingo) did know a thing or two about the guitar.

As the years progressed, at fifteen years old I started playing the acoustic guitar to the tunes of my Puerto Rican father's stereo. Learning much of my musical knowledge in church while serving mass as an alter boy, I incorporated much of the spiritual music into my compositions.

From the proceeds of saving at one summer job, I managed to purchase my first electric guitar. It was a Guyatone. I remember one guy I jammed with saying that it sounded like a banjo. But what-the-heck, I was electrified and no rich kid was going to discourage me.

My interests turned to the upright bass during my high school years. My first electric bass was a Memphis and it was solid oak and weighed a ton. I played that one until I broke the cable in the input jack. I later bought an imitation Gibson SG bass. That was a cool bass until someone came over to my apartment when I was having a party, dropped it, and broke a machine head. Man, I almost threw the guy over the banister of the stairwell because I knew I could never find a replacement machine head for it. I later bought a Peavey T-40 bass that I played for 12 years or longer. It was also made of solid oak. I lost it to a pawn shop when I was down on my luck. I sort of miss that big heavy piece of oak hanging from my neck.

All along I was partial to the acoustic guitar, writing and practicing every chance I could. Many of my songs I honed with my good friend Robert Ybarra of San Antonio, Texas with whom I've been jamming with for over 20 years. Robert, who is a percussionist plays drums, timbales, congas, bongos and a number of other percussion trinkets that he has collected over the years. He helped me bring my words and rythms to life. Too bad he lives in San Antonio and I live in Savannah, Georgia now.

This album is a compilation of some of the songs that Robert and I have written and played over the years and now I am offering it to you for your listening pleasure. The drummer on the album is my good friend LaMarcus (Mr. Williams) Williams. He rocks on the drums. I hope you like it and recommend it to all of your friends. There's a lot more where this came from, so buy the CD and help me make a go of my musical career. You can purchase, "Summer At Tybee," CDBaby.

Thanks,

Vic

My Interests:
Playing on my guitars, I have 5 of them and a piano
Watching DVD's
Buying new recording equipment and instruments
Learning new software so I can do some cool webstuff